Direction-indicator for motor-vehicles.



E. J. GRIGSBY.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 27. I918- Patented NW. 25, 1919.

R5 10 ao14 .18 15 Sw-vawfor U Ear/cl UNITED clTATIlil Mme onnion.

EARL 3. GEIGSBY, 01 AKRON, OIIIQ.

DIRECTION-INDIGATOR FOR MOTORJT ees-goes.-

.Applicetion filed March 27,

To all whom 2'1- may concern.-

Be it known that I. EARL J. Gmosnr, e citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Direction-Indicators for Motor-Vehicles, of which the fol lowing is s specification, refe ence being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved direction indicator for motor vehicles and more particularly to certain improvements in an indicator of that character shown and described in Patent No. 1,238,419 issued to Edwin N. McKinley and Earl J. Grigsby on August 2-8, 1917.

It is the primary object of the present i vention to provide improved means for operating the rotary signal carrying drum. and for zuitoinaticelly returning the drum to normal position to display the danger signal, for which purpose the usual tail lamp is provided. 1

it is a. more particular object of the invention to provide a signaling device oi ti e above character embodying an outer casing or housing, a signal carrying druin Within the housing end an operating shorl't vfor the drum rotatably mounted in one end of the housing, a, spring yieldingly holding the shaft against rotation in one d1rect1on, e cable wound on one end of said shaft, and means on the steering post of the vehicle to which the cable is connected, whereby the drum may be rotated against the action of said spring to display any. one of the signals carried thereby.

It is also another object of the. invention to provide simple and effective means for retaining the signal drum in any one of its adjusted positions and to also provide means for limiting the rotation. of the drum in each direction.

And it is a further general object of my invention to materially simplify and iniprove the construction of the patented do vice above referred to, and at the some time render the signal more reliable and eilicient in ope 'zition and cope-hie of manufacture and application to the ordinary motor vohicle at comparatively snnill cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved com- Specifieetion of Letters Potent.

1918. Serial No. 225,014.

binetion, construction and relative arrangement ol the several purts as will be hercirn otter more fully described, subsequel'itly claimed and illustrated in the accompanying dmwin'g in which similar reference choroctcrs dcsignnl'e corrcspoinling parts through out the several views, and whcrcin:--

Figure l is a. side ele 'ation of e motor vehicle cquippei'l with my improved direc tion indicator;

Fig. is a longitudinal, sectional View through the indicator casing und drum;

Fig. is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fi m Fig. i is a detail elevation of the transperent signal carrying bend removed from th drum; and

F 5 is :i detail. sectional View illustrcting the cal lc wi1uling; drum which is mounted on the steering; post of the vehicle.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the casing or housing: oi: the indi miter which is preferably of (#y'liiidiidtlv l'orm nnd is provided at one end with the convex lens '3. A}; its other end the casing .3 provided with nhingcd door 7 aiii ording access to the interior of said cosin said door likewise carrying a. con vex lens 8.

Wilhin the casing 5 adjacent one end thereof, the spaced spiders 9 are arranged, each. of said spiders consisting of :L diametrically disposed metal bar fixed at its extremities to the casing; wall. Trunnions formed on the-ends ol on operating shaft 1:) are ro'toltiibly mounted in said spiders, one of said trunuions being provided with u rectangular socket or recess 11. Adjacent lo the oppositeend oi the. casing 5, on 2rdditionzil spider 12 is secured therein. An adjustable bearing member 1 3 is centrally threaded in ihis spider.

1% designates the signal carrying drum, the opposite end walls of which are of skelotonizcd construction. and the body wall of which is provided with a. plurality of ion-- c'itudinzilly extending slots or openings 15 therein. To one end Wall of the drum, a rectangular stud l6 is fixed for engagement in the socket or recess 11 formed in one end oil the OPP-Fitting shaft 10. To the other end Willi oi the drum a. conical stud 1.7 is lined for cngac'ciiiciit in a sim ilerl y forn'ied recess or soot in the adjustable bezwingmcmber 13,

T Within the casing about the trunnion on the end oi the operatthis casing proper adjustment of this hearing, it Will readily be seen that the drtun it may be positioned and supported for rotation with the shaft Within the casing 5. An inwardly projecting tube or socket ine1nber 18 fixedto one end Wall ot' the drum to receive the plug of an electric light bulb indicated at 19. tlurrent is supplied to the electric light bulb lroni batteries or any other suitable source through the wires 20 Which. are extended through an opening in the Wall of the casing 5 and are suitably con nected to the contacts of the socket lnieinber There is suliicient slack in the wires so that they may Wind By the ing shaft 10 When the drum is rotated.

To the rear side of the casing 55, a tube 21 is connected at one of its ends, said tube extending longitudinally and forwardly heneath. the tloorof the Vehicle body. 'lhrough. this tube the operating cable 22 extends, said Cable being attached at one of its ends to one end of the shaft 10 to be Wound thereon. A coil spring 23 surrounds this shalt and. has one of its extremities fined to one spider 9, and the other end thereof secured to said shaft. An annular flange or collar 2%: is secured upon the shaft between. this nxed end ot the spring and the cable The cable 22 is trained around a guide pulley 25 and extended upwardly through the yehicle floor adjacent to the steering post. A casin 26 clamped or otherwise suitably atached to one side of the steering post adjacent to the hand wheel and Within spool or drum 2? is rotatably handle or lever 28 drum shaft.

inoun'teth an operating being fixed to one end of the A ratchet dish 29 is also fixed upon the shaft at one side of the drum or spool. said disk being provided on its periphery with fire equi-d'stantly spaced teeth with "which a spring pressed pin 30 is adapted to engage. This pin extends radially through the peripheral Wall of the casing 26 and is provided with a suitable head or button whereby it may be actuated. In the cable above the vehicle tloor, a turn buckle or other suitable device indicated at 31 is arranged for the purpose oi taking up slack in the cable.

The indicative Words or characters are printed, stamped or otherwise delineated upon a strip or other suitable transparent material. This hand at its ends is provided with suitable fastening means whereby it may be securely held in. place upon the periphery of the (ll-1111114. This band bears the words Slow Lott, Right and Stop, the latter being located at one end ot the band. At the other end of the band 32 there is provided a section indicated at 3? which is colored red, while the portions of the band inanediatcly contiguous to this section. are pn-lband 32 ot oiled paper or heathen adapted for hearing engagement against the lugs 36 secured to the end ,yall of the drum.

In the operating oi? my invention as above described, when it is desired to display the "word Slow the opi-irator turns the drum by means of the crank or handle 28 until one of the teeth on the 'atchet disk 99 enthe end of: the

gages and has passed beyoi'ulv pin 30. -The cable will thus be wound upon saul d1rurn and unwound from the shaft it. in. the rotation of. this shaft the spruig is coded and placed under tension.

i i hen the'handle 28 is released the stop pin 30 reacting with the tooth of the ratchet dish 29 PI'GVBlltF reverse rotation of the drum 27. Thus, the drum It is retained in position to display the Word. Slow opposite the sight opening 34L oi": the casing in a similar manner, the Words Left, l-tight or Stop may be displayed and the drum held in its adjusted position to indicate to other motorists or pedestrians the PLUPOSQ of the operator relative to the subsequent movements of the machine. lhe drum 28 is preferably of" such ratio with respect to the shaft of said drum willv transmit. through the medium Oil the cable, a complete rotation of the shaft, 10. \Vhen the drum is rapidly rotated from its normal. position to display the word Stop., requiring almost a complete rotation of the drum, the stop or and read at some distance from the 10 that one-half a rotation end "Wall of the drum, stops the rotation at the drum and indicates to the operator that the word disposed opposite the sight opening of the casing. so that he will not continue to rotate the drum 2% and thus place the cable 22 under a strain. In order to release the drum 28, the operator pulls the pin 30 outwardly and the spring 23 will. then immediately expand and reverse the rotation of the shaft 10, returning the drum I l: to its normal position and again displaying the danger signal through the sight opening 3 1.

The casing 5 is preferably provided in its bottom portion with an opening and suitable reflecting means may also be provided to rellcct light rays from the lamp 19 through said opening and upon a license of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. By the provision of the single flexible cable for operating the rotatable drum of the indicator, I provide elhcicnt and reliable means for this purpose which can be operatively applied to the ordinary motor vehicle without necessitating any alterations in the construction thereof. The several other parts of the, device are also of very simple form and can be readily mounted in their operative positions by the purchaser. Thus, the device can be used in the nature of an accessory or attachment for motor vehicles. In View of the very simple construction of the various elements employed, it is also manifest that my improved direction indicator can be produced at comparatively small manufacturing cost.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several elements, it is to be understood that the device is susceptible of con siderable modification therein and I therereserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

1. A signaling device for vehicles including an. elongated casing having its ends transparent, a signal. carrying drum rotatably supported within the casing and of a length less than the casing, the end walls of the drum being provided with openings, an ilhuninating member arranged within the drunnthe rays thereof passing through the openings in the end walls of the drum and the transparent ends of the casing, and means for rotating the drum.

A signaling device for vehicles including an elongated casing having its ends tra sparent, a signal carrying drum rota tably supported within the casing and of a length less than the casing, the end walls or" the drum being provided with openings, an illuminating member arranged within the drum and carried thereby, the rays thereof passing through the openings in the end walls of the drum and the transparent ends of the casing, and means for rotating the drum.

3. A direction indicator for vehicles including a casing having a sight opening, the ends ot the casing hemg provided with openings, transparent closures for said openings, a drum rotatably supported within the casing and of a length less than the using, said drum being provided with a pluralityof signals for individual exposure through the sight opening of the casing, the ends of the drum being also provided with openings, an illuminating member for the signals arranged Within the drum, the rays of said member also passing through the openings in the ends of the drum and the casing, and means for rotating the casing.

4-. A direction indicator for vehicles comprising an elongated casing having openings in its ends, transparent closures for said openings, said casing being also provided with a sight opening, spiders intersecting said casing, a shaft rotatably supported by and between a pair oi spiders, a signal carrying drum rotatably supported by a third spider and directly supported by the shaft for rotation with saic shaft, an illuminating member arranged within the drum, and means for rotating the shaft.

A direction indicator for vehicles comprising an elongated casing having openings in its ends, transparent closures for said openings, said casing being also provided with a sight opening, spiders interseeting said casing, a shaft rotatably supported by and between a pair of spiders, a signal car rymg drum rotutably supported by a tlnrd spider and directly supported by the shaft for rotation with said shart't, an illuminating membe arranged within the drum, a spiral spring encircling the shaft and secured at one end portion to the shaft and at its opposite end portion to a spider, said spring opcating to rotate the shaft in one direction, and means engaged with the shaft for rotating the same in the opposite direction and placing the spiral spring under tenyou,

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of a witness.

EARL J. GRIGSBY. W'itness M. G. Lrnoanu. 

